


GOING BACK TO YESTERDAY  # 27

by StarWars1977



Category: STAR WARS After THE RETURN OF THE JEDI and before THE FORCE AWAKENS
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-16
Updated: 2018-02-16
Packaged: 2019-03-19 11:03:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13703145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StarWars1977/pseuds/StarWars1977
Summary: Han, Chewbacca and Ben are on their way to deliver the contraband and anxious toget home.  Leia is upset.





	GOING BACK TO YESTERDAY  # 27

GOING BACK TO YESTERDAY # 27  
The Later Adventures of Han Solo

Chewbacca manned the Falcon’s flight as Han went to Ben, who was in the Captain’s cabin.

“Hey, buddy.” Han gave a light-hearted greeting coming into the room. Ben was in the middle of the bed, surrounded by books.   
He was intently looking at a Galaxy Atlas.

“What’cha looking at?” Han sat on the edge of his bed, fingering a leaf of the book.

“Star maps. We study star maps in school. I’m trying to see where we are.”

Han knew the child wouldn’t find that information in the book he was using.  
“How about something to eat?”

“Yeah..I’m hungry.” Ben admitted.

“You go visit the lavatory and wash your hands after, then you can help me fix food in the galley.”   
Han said, gathering up the books and placing them back on a shelf.

Ben did as was told while Han waited for his son. He’d worried how Ben might have been affected by the events earlier,   
but the boy seemed as usual.  
***

Han hefted Ben up onto the galley counter, then went about hydrating and warming the food.

“Dad?” The boy began.

“Yeah?” Han responded.

“Did you know those beings?”

“What beings?”

“Back in that town…the ones who hurt you and Chewbacca and ran away with me, or  
the one in the dirty store?”

“Just ones I had some business with.” Han answered as he gave Ben a protein bar  
to snack on until the rest of the food was ready.

“If I had my lightsaber I’d protect us all and you and Chewbacca wouldn’t be hurt.” He began softly kicking the cabinet.   
“I’d have more power than the bad ones. One day, when I‘m a Jedi, I‘ll more power than ANYBODY!” Ben stated around a bite of the bar.

Han smiled at the child-like bravado.

Go get Chewie..tell him the food’s ready.” Han caught his son as he jumped from the counter and took off for the cockpit.   
***  
“Dad said food is ready.” The boy stood by the Wookiee, now completely unafraid.

Chewbacca woofed a soft reply and set the console controls to ‘auto’ and followed Ben into the lounge.  
****  
“We’re going to talk to mom after we eat, then you go and take a bath and change into your sleeping clothes.”   
Han instructed his son. “Then I’ll take a bath and change.”

“Does Chewbacca take a bath?” Ben questioned.

“Only when I hose him down.” Han laughed as Chewbacca protested.

A beeping ring from the cockpit signaled an incoming com-link call. The Corellian and the Wookiee looked at each other.   
All three rose from the table and rushed to the cockpit.

Han quickly connected the com-link and heard; “Leia to Han, Leia to Han…. 

Han’s eyes darted to Chewbacca…it was really going to hit the boosters now!

“Leia…how are you?” Han winced, what a thing to say!

“Where are YOU?!” Leia began, not letting Han get a word in edgewise. “I’ve been trying to contact you for a standard day!   
The com-link kept telling me you were ‘out of range’. where are you? How’s Ben.. let me talk to him.   
You’ve been out four standard days.. you said the trip wouldn’t take but two…you get back here with MY son right now!

“Leia..I can explain.” Chewbacca grimaced, and shook his head. That was his friend’s standard reply to any spot he was in.

“No you can’t!!!” Leia cut him off, “ There’s no excuse for you to stay out this long with Ben, causing him to miss school! Not hearing from you scared me to death!”

“Yes, I can explain….we had mechanical trouble….”

“No we didn’t.” Ben chirped, loud enough for Leia to hear.

Han gave his son the ‘look’.

“Go ahead, Han, explain to me.”

“I had to help Chewie deliver something and it took a little longer than expected.”  
The other end of the com-link was quiet. Han waited….then went on.

“We’ve got one more short stop and then we’ll be home, after I take Chewie back to  
Kashyyyk ….” Still silence. Han knew she was fuming.

“Let me talk to Ben.”

Han gave the com-link to his son, begging with his eyes.

“Hi mom. I’m fine. I like traveling with Dad and Chewbacca.”

“You sure you’re alright? You resting and eating?”

“Yes…I gotta take a bath after I talk to you.”

“I love you. Just do what your father’s says and be good. I’ll see you soon.”

Ben gave the communicator back to his father.

“I promise, Leia,” Han raised a hand in the air. “ I’ll have us home in two standard days. things just happened.”

“I don’t like it, but there’s nothing I can do about it. Just get home in those two standard days…..or else!!!!! We’ll talk about this further then!”

“I love you.” Han told her…….silence for a moment.

“I love you too.” Leia answered with an exasperated sigh, “But you drive me crazy!”

“We shouldn’t be ‘out of range’ any more.” Han assured his wife.

“I’ve got to go…tell Chewbacca ‘hello’ for me.” The Wookiee nodded and softly woofed  
as Han shut off the com-link.

“Go get your bath, now.” Han told Ben…the child left, heading for the lavatory.

Han slumped back in the pilot’s chair. “I’d rather face an Imperial firing squad than Leia  
when I get home.”

Chewbacca couldn’t help himself, his whole body shook with laughter. (I’d love to be  
there to see how you get out of this.”).

Han slid tired hands down his face…. “I’ll smooth it over…I have a way with her.”   
He stared out the viewport, already trying to formulate what he would say to Leia.  
***  
“All done, Dad.” Ben walked into the cockpit, dressed in a sleeping shirt, the buttons  
in the wrong holes. 

“Come’mere.” Han pulled his son to him and righted the buttons, smiling when Ben gave a big yawn. 

“Time for sleep.” Han picked up his son. “I’m going to clean up and I’ll be back so you can have some rest time.”   
He said to Chewbacca, who nodded. 

In his cabin, Han settled his son in the bunk and pulled the covers over him.   
Then, shucked his clothes and headed for the lavatory.

****  
After a short time, Chewbacca began hearing noises of clanging metal, then heavy thumps.  
That went on several times. (‘must be something Han noticed that needed fixing.’) He thought to himself.   
The Wookiee gave a silent ‘huh..fixing.’

A short while later, Han reentered the cockpit with two steaming cups of kava. Chewbacca looked up and was surprised to see his friend.   
His face was still whisker-stubbled, his hair shaggy and he hadn’t changed clothes.”

Responding to the Wookie’s stare Han said. “On second thought, I don’t think I should look too clean or respectable when I meet Faw’s customers.   
How’re you knees?”

Chewbacca nodded, taking a sip of the kava. (“Still aches. What were you doing back there?”)

Han took another gulp from his cup. “I moved the cash boxes from the cargo hold and put them in the one of the smuggling compartments.   
Faw’s customers don’t need to know about them.” Han said with raised eyebrows.

Han looked over the readouts. “Looks like we have a few hours before we get there. You take first rest. I’ll doze up here.”

Chewbacca flipped off his screen and headed down the curved corridor to his cabin.

After turning off the cockpit lights, Han settled back comfortably in the pilot’s chair, the soft light from the dials and indicators the only illumination.   
Leaning his head back, and lifting his feet to rest on the console, the low, constant hum of the Falcon’s engines lulled him to near sleep.. with thoughts of ‘Home’….  
after the last few days, he was looking forward to getting back there.  
MORE TO COME …Feb. 23, 2018


End file.
